Thursday, October 30, 2008

Booking Through Thursday: Conditioning

Today's Booking Through Thursday question:

Are you a spine breaker? Or a dog-earer? Do you expect to keep your books in pristine condition even after you have read them? Does watching other readers bend the cover all the way round make you flinch or squeal in pain?

I actually don't have an absolute on this. My books that I've re-read over and over (the Harry Potter series, anything by Jane Austen) are pretty rough-looking, although I prefer to think of them as "well-loved." A friend of mine once saw my copy of HPATPOA (my favorite HP book, and thus the raggediest of the lot) and almost had a conniption. I have some books that stay pretty pristine (usually hardbacks), but on the whole my books take a little wear-and-tear. Some of them even have - *gasp* - writing in them, a habit I got into in college. The only books I refuse to deface in any way are library books, because that's unfair to other readers.

I really agree with you. I'm surprised with the number of people who treat their own books so well but have no problem mistreating library books. My books are well-read and well traveled but I love them to pieces, literally in some cases:)